Waterloo hiring for several top posts

WATERLOO — Waterloo officials say there’s nothing unusual about six staff leaving for other municipalities this summer.

Four staff have taken jobs at the City of Kitchener, while a fifth took a job at the City of Guelph. The sixth moved to Victoria, B.C.

Tim Anderson, city chief administrative officer, said there was nothing going on internally that would have made the staff leave.

“I think with all these people that we’re specifically talking about, we would be delighted to have them stay at the City of Waterloo, but there was career opportunity and they took it,” he said.

Mayor Dave Jaworsky said staff turnover isn’t uncommon.

“Within industries, you’ll see staff being traded,” he said. “It happens in the high tech industry, the insurance industry, and municipalities aren’t immune from that.”

Roslyn Lusk, the city’s former director of transportation services, is now Kitchener’s director of operations for roads and traffic after nearly eight years in Waterloo.

“For me, it was an opportunity to progress my career in Kitchener, and it’s my hometown, so that’s a little desirable to be able to have a hand in using your own taxpayers’ money if it’s your city,” Lusk said.

The city’s former director of environment and parks services is now Kitchener’s manager of park operations after about 11 years in Waterloo.

The former city director of water services is now Kitchener’s director of environmental operations after nearly six years in the Waterloo post.

A former financial analyst for Waterloo is now the Kitchener mayor and council’s chief of staff.

The city’s communications director also left and a project manager went to Guelph.

Anderson said the departures are just a case of “musical chairs in the municipal world.”

“Over the last few years, I think we’ve recruited a number from Kitchener and we’re currently doing some recruitment out of the local cities, which I can’t say but it is very active and we wish people all the best in their career decisions,” Anderson said.

Waterloo has seen mass departures before.

Between summer 2012 and January 2013, five senior managers and directors left Waterloo, including the communications director, deputy chief administrative officer, economic development director and corporate services general manager.